A/N: Hello guys! So this is a stand alone story outside of my Exiled Hearts. It takes place right after Lucifer gets out of the cage. I was listening to old playlist and a Garth Brooks song came on and it just played out as this perfect case that the boys and Lyanna could work on in my head, also used a little inspiration from an episode of Buffy, sorta (brownie if you can guess what episode, lol) anyways I had to get this out before I could work anymore on Exiled Hearts as I couldn't stop thinking about writing it.
For anyone not reading my story, Lyanna is Dean's ex-girlfriend who recently reconnected with the boys to help with the Lucifer and Lilith problem during season 4, she is engaged to her fiance Jake, but still has feelings for Dean and Dean never stopped loving her, this is a look into one of their cases during their time together in season 5. Hope you enjoy it! xoxo
"Beaches of Cheyenne"
May 20th 2009
The plane landed and the Winchester brothers and their faithful tag a long Lyanna made their way to the gates. After Lucifer had been brought back the three of them had ended up on a plane that was landing in Salt Lake City and somehow the Impala was there waiting for them at the airport terminal, Lyanna could only assume it had been because of divine intervention.
"So what do we do now?" Lyanna asked as she slid into the backseat, "I mean now Lucifer is out, do we have any idea how to kill him? Can you kill an archangel?" she frowned
"We'll figure it out," was Dean's response, "I'll call Bobby, fill him in." he added, pulling his phone out dialing Bobby's number
Sam glanced at Dean and then at Lyanna, "I'm sorry guys." he sighed as Dean got out of the car
Lyanna shook her head, "It's not your fault, Sam." she replied, "I mean-well-it's not completely your fault." she added, "We'll get through this, like we always do." she smiled
Dean closed the door as he got back into the car, "Okay, so Bobby has zip on Lucifer, but he's got a case for us." he said
"A case would be good, a good distraction." Lyanna smiled, "So where too?"
"Cheyenne, Wyoming." Dean smiled, "You can finally wear your cowboy boots, princess." he laughed, dodging the smack that Lyanna attempted on his shoulder.
They had been driving for a little over five hours and Lyanna was starting to get fidgety, "Are we there yet?" she whined
Sam gave a little chuckle, as he looked at the gps, "Maybe ten more minutes." he said
"I'm hungry and tired, this backseat is not conducive to sleeping." Lyanna replied, "And I need a shower."
Dean rolled his eyes as he glanced at the blonde, "You're being awfully dramatic…" he said, "Wouldn't be a girly thing would it?"
Lyanna narrowed her eyes, "Comments like that are why women kill men." she snapped
"So then yes." Dean grinned, "Ow!" he said, rubbing the back of his head where Lyanna had slapped him, "We'll get you some chocolate and midol when we find a hotel." he continued giving Sam a smirk
"Dean Winchester, so help me god, I will murder you right now." Lyanna frowned, "Or better yet, I'll wreck your precious Baby." she smirked, pulling out her pocket knife
"Lyanna Rosalie Summers!" Dean yelled, "Don't you dare." he frowned, glaring at Sam who was laughing at both of their antics
"Look, there's a gas'n'sip." Sam said still laughing, "We'll stock up on… supplies, and…there's a motel about ten minutes down the road." he added, glancing at the gps, "And we can all get a good night's sleep and check out this case in the morning."
May 21st 2009
The next morning came quickly but after sleeping on an actual bed, Lyanna was feeling much better, she was sitting in front of the laptop as she read over some of the information about the case. It seemed like typical ghost activity, there was a little county about thirty minutes from Cheyenne where a woman, Marlene Davis had drowned herself after spending the night alone in a little cabin by the ocean, it was unusual because she had no prior indictions of wanting to commit suicide, she was well liked at work, recently engaged and had a generally happy life. Upon more digging they found that every year since 1975, the week of May 15th to May 22nd, at least two or three woman who had been in or around that cabin either had a psychotic break down, and killed themselves, or in the cases of survivors which were a few, they had no recollection of why they had gone crazy, so right now Dean and Sam were going to head to the morgue to get an official cause of death and background information on Marlene and Lyanna was going to talk to one of the survivors from ten years ago, Sally Henderson.
Lyanna knocked on the door of a little white house with a picket fence and smiled as a woman in her mid thirties opened the door, she had dark hair and eyes to match and a kind face, "Hello, Sally Henderson?" she asked as the woman nodded, Lyanna pulled out her FBI badge and flashed it quickly, "Agent Melanie Brooks, FBI." she said, "We're investigating a case in Natrona County…" she added, she noticed Sally's eyes widened slightly at the mention of Natrona County "I understand you spent some time there in a cabin about ten years ago, I was just hoping you could help." she smiled
Sally nodded and hesitantly let Lyanna into her house, closing the door and leading her to the living room "I haven't thought about that place in years." she said, as she sat across from Lyanna, "Did-did, it happen again?" she asked
Lyanna nodded, "Yes, unfortunately though, the victim didn't make it, she drowned herself." she replied, "Could you walk me through what happened up there?" she asked softly
Sally nodded, "Well it was our anniversary, my-husband Glenn-he was my boyfriend then." she smiled, "We thought a remote little cabin by the lake would be romantic." she said
"And you were there the weekend of May 22 1999?" Lyanna questioned, flipping open a notepad
"Yes, we went up on Friday, May 20th, and the first night was normal. We had a fire, did some night fishing, and went to bed. But-but the next day, Glenn went into town for a few hours to get some groceries and supplies. I spent the day puttering around the cabin, I found this old diary and ended up spending hours reading it and then… the next thing I remembered was waking up in the backseat of our car on Monday morning." Sally explained, "But-but Glenn told me I was hysterical for most of Saturday night and Sunday, crying and talking about some bull, a rodeo.. Uh, a name-I think it was Billy, or William…" she added seemingly flustered, "I'm sorry, it's been a long time and I try not to think about it, cause, well, it scared the hell out of Glenn. He didn't know what to do, thought I was having some kind of break down… he was actually driving us to the hospital when I passed out screaming and crying, and-and then when I woke up… I was fine. Back to my normal self, except I-I didn't remember anything."
Lyanna nodded and gave Sally a warm smile, as she finished writing down what Sally had told her, "Thank you, Sally. You've been a great help. I-I'm sorry for dragging up bad memories." she said
Sally just gave a little shrug, "If it helps someone else, I don't mind." she smiled
Lyanna said goodbye to Sally and made her way back to the hotel, skimming over the notes in her mind. The thing that stood out the most was the diary Sally had mentioned. There was nothing about a diary in any of the police reports, she would have to do a little digging into the history of the area when she got back.
Sam and Dean walked back into the hotel room shrugging off their blazers as they sat on the beds, "Well, I hope you got something useful today." Sam said as he looked at Lyanna who was scribbling something on a piece of paper, "The only thing we got was that the cabins been empty since 1974, before that it was owed by some local rodeo star and his wife." he added
"William Weston and his wife, Lenore." Lyanna replied, "And get this… in May 1974, William, or Billy as he was known in the rodeo circuit died riding a dangerous bull in Cheyenne, leaving behind his young bride, 25 year old Lenore Weston."
"So definitely a ghost, Billy's ghost?" Dean said raising an eyebrow
Lyanna sighed, "No, I don't think so…" she said, "Sally Henderson the survivor from 1999, she mentioned crying out for a Billy…" she added as she rubbed her eyes
"Lya, take a break, I'll take over." Sam said as he shooed Lyanna from her seat and told her to get some rest
Dean sat down beside Lyanna, "I did a little research and there's something consistent with all the women who actually drowned.." he said, pulling out a file and handing it to Lyanna, "All blondes, blue eyes and mid twenties.."
"I think we're dealing with Lenore." Lyanna replied as Sam motioned for them both to come to the computer
"I think you're right." Sam sighed as he pulled up a picture of a young pretty blonde haired, blue eyed girl in a newspaper article, "Lenore Weston, 25, drowned in the lake near her property, body never recovered." read the headline
"That definitely tracks, Sally was brunette, seems like the ones who drowned have the same features of Lenore, as if she's reliving that night over and over…" Lyanna said with a sad sigh
Dean slapped his hands together, "Alright nice and easy salt and burn, now we just gotta figure out where her body is." he shrugged
"Oh!" Lyanna exclaimed, "I forgot, Sally mentioned a diary." she said
Sam raised an eyebrow, "A diary? There's nothing about a diary anywhere…" he said, "Not in the police reports, witnesses never mentioned it.."
"I think we need to take a trip to the cabin… maybe her body's there and maybe we can find this diary." Lyanna suggested
May 22nd 2009
It was the next morning and Dean decided that Sam and Lyanna would rent a car and head up to the cabin, while he went to a rodeo museum near Cheyenne to find out more information about William. It was noon by the time Sam and Lyanna arrived at the abandoned cabin, "Well isn't this romantic." Lyanna teased as she followed Sam inside.
It was very dated and a little messy, but Lyanna could see the charm if you wanted to get away from the city life for a little while. She sighed as she looked around the room, tilting her head slightly when she noticed what looked like an old doorway that had been sealed up, she turned and went back outside to the the back of the house and frowned, jumping slightly when Sam joined her, "I think there was more to this cabin…" she said, "From the inside this looked like a doorway…"
Sam nodded in agreement, "Well I brought a remote wifi connection." he smiled holding up the usb, "I'll do a little research and you look for that diary." he said, leading the way back inside.
An hour or so had passed and Lyanna had no luck finding the diary, however Sam had discovered that there used to be a back room attached to the cabin and that in 1989 a fire had left the room inhabitable, he'd also managed to find police reports from the fire that included the information that a body had been found burned beyond recognition.
"I'm betting that body was Lenore's." Lyanna said as she read the laptop over Sam's shoulder
Sam sighed "Me too." he said, "But that means we gotta find that diary...it's probably what's keeping her here.." he added.
Lyanna nodded and grabbed a bottle of water from the bag of supplies they brought up, "Uh, Sam.." she said, "Where's the salt?" she frowned
Sam moved Lyanna out of the way and dug around in the bag and let out a frustrated sigh, "In the back of the Impala." he groaned, "Damn it."
Lyanna let out a breath, "It's fine, we've got other stuff, you go get some salt from town and I'll stay here and keep searching for the diary." she suggested
Sam gave Lyanna a look "I-I don't think that's a great idea, Lya… I mean, well, you fit the description." he stammered "And-and it's May 22nd… the day she died…"
Lyanna ignored this and pushed Sam to the door, "I can handle a ghost." she replied, "Just be quick, ok?"
Sam's brows knitted together in disapproval of the plan, but he knew he wouldn't get anywhere arguing with Lyanna so he quickly got into the car and made his way to town.
Lyanna shut the door and let out a breath as she glanced around the room, "Where are you hiding this diary, Lenore.." she whispered. It was then she noticed an oddly placed rug by the bed, she walked towards it and leaned down grinning a bit when she lifted it and noticed the floorboard was mismatched, "Bingo." she said, pulling the board up and sticking her hand inside removing the tattered old book, "The infamous diary.." she smiled, as she took a seat on the bed and started leafing through it.
May 13th 1974
He's gone again. That stupid rodeo in Cheyenne, I begged Billy not to go he told me I was being silly and that he'd been riding bulls since he could walk. But I just had a horrible feeling about this one, 3 other riders have died trying to tame the stupid creature… Anyways we had a big fight, I yelled and screamed and he hollered and criticized. Then he packed his suitcase, put on that stupid McCloud Rodeo buckle and told me he was goin'... I cried and snapped, I shouldn't have, but I was angry that he was choosin' riding over me again… and I told him I don't give a damn if you never come back from Cheyenne…
Lyanna's eyes were watering as she re-read the passage from Lenore's diary, that's why she was still around she never got to apologize and tell him she loved him, because a few days later William Weston died at that rodeo and a week after that, May 22nd 1974, Lenore filled with grief and heartache drowned herself. Suddenly the lights flickered and Lyanna got to her feet, "Shit.." she mumbled as she grabbed the iron rod that was beside her, "Lenore.. You have to let go.." she called, glancing around the room as things started falling off the shelves, then Lenore's ghost was in front of her, "I never got to say goodbye…" she cried as she flung Lyanna across the bed, the iron rod falling to the floor, "I never got to say sorry…" she sobbed as she advanced on Lyanna.
Sam had just gotten off the phone with Dean, who had found out that William Weston was quite the legend in the 70's and after he died in Cheyenne, his body was cremated and buried in a local cemetery then they shipped all his riding gear off to his Dad, all except for the one he'd been wearing the night of the rodeo that was sent back to his wife Lenore because she was the one who bought it for them when they first started dating. Sam figured if it wasn't the diary then maybe it was the buckle, but to be sure he'd find both and burn them. Sam opened the door of the cabin and was startled by Lyanna who was sitting awkwardly on the bed, her face wet with tears, "Lya… are you ok?" he asked, placing the box of salt on the table
Lyanna's eyes shifted to the salt then back to Sam, "I-I'm fine." she said, but her voice sounded odd, like it wasn't really her speaking. It was then Sam noticed the diary on the pillow behind her and he studied Lyanna again, "Lenore?" he questioned carefully taking a step towards her, so he could get to the bag of supplies
Lyanna's eyes widened and her face twisted "Why did he leave me?" she cried, "He left me for that stupid rodeo!" she yelled, angry appearing in her voice
Sam grabbed the salt and threw it at Lyanna making her hiss and back away "You can't save her…" she laughed bitterly, "She'll be dead like me within hours.." Lyanna sneered regaining her stature
In her goading she hadn't seen Sam grab the iron chains from the supply bag and he quickly approached her tackling her with them, Lyanna's body writhing and hissing under them, "These won't hold… I'm strong, and this one… this one's heart has been broken just as badly as mine was…" Lyanna hissed as Sam managed to bind her with the chains to a chair
"You talk a lot for a heart broken ghost.." Sam commented as he turned and grabbed his phone dialing Dean's number
"Hey, what's up?" Dean asked
"You gotta get here fast…" Sam replied, "Lyanna found the diary… only now she's not exactly Lyanna anymore, she's possessed Dean.." he sighed
"Damn it, Sam! How did that even happen? You were supposed to be with her…" Dean yelled
"I went to get salt and by the time I came back.." Sam said
"I'm about forty minutes away… keep her chained, don't let her out of your sight, and find that damn buckle." Dean snapped as the line went dead
Sam sighed as he tossed his phone onto the table and started searching around the cabin, groaning when he heard a scornful laugh come out of Lyanna's mouth "You won't find it, Sammy…" she smirked, "At least not until it's too late, and I've taken another broken heart to her grave…"
"Where's the buckle, Lenore?" Sam asked his patience was growing thin and he was worried about Lyanna, what if Dean didn't get here in time, what if she did die? Dean would never forgive him and he would never get over losing Lyanna, Sam couldn't have that on his conscious
"Some place safe.." Lyanna replied, struggling against the chains. She could feel them getting looser, all she had to do was get out of them then she could take care of Sam and grab the buckle from its hiding spot
Sam shook his head and decided to change tactics, "Billy loved you, I-I was reading interviews that he did, and all of them, he always praised his beautiful wife, how amazing she-you-were.." he said
Lyanna's eyes softened slightly "I miss him…" she whispered, "But riding that damn bull was all he cared about.." she yelled, as she broke through the chains and lunged at Sam, "You men never care about the woman who need you…" she growled as she slammed Sam into the wall knocking his head into a shelf, his body falling to the floor.
Lyanna looked around the cabin and grew angry at all the memories-Lenore's memories-that flooded her mind, she started crying and destroying the place, glass was shattered and tables tipped. She frowned as she looked at the diary and tossed it across the room, it landing beside Sam, then she pulled the floor board up from earlier and stuck her hand back inside a little deeper, as she brought her hand out it was gripped around a silver tarnished rodeo buckle, "Time for a little swim.." she whispered as she made her way out of the cabin and started walking towards the beach
"Lyanna, stop!" Dean called as he slammed the door of the Impala and ran towards her
Lyanna froze in her step and she turned, an empty look on her face as she stared at Dean, "You hurt her… like Billy hurt me." Lyanna replied her face twisting in agony as she advanced towards Dean.
Dean was prepared and he blasted her with a salt gun, making Lyanna fall to the ground. An angry sound came out of her mouth and she got to her feet and she lunged towards Dean again, this time he fired two rounds, momentarily knocking Lyanna out. He raised an eyebrow as he saw something silver and faded sticking out of the sand and he reached down and grabbed it, as soon as he did, he felt a shock and suddenly he felt another presence. He turned and saw a ghost beside him, Billy's ghost.
"I need to borrow you for a bit." Billy said as he jumped into Dean's body
Lyanna rose to her feet, tears streaming down her face as she turned on Dean and made a break for the water
"Lenore! Wait…" Dean called as he ran behind her and grabbed Lyanna's shoulder
Lyanna turned around and her mouth fell in shock, "Billy?" she asked
"I'm sorry I didn't listen to you about the rodeo…" Dean sighed "I was young and stupid and-and the prize money, Len.. we could've gotten outta here.." he explained
Lyanna's cheeks were streaked with tears, "I never cared about that, Billy!" she cried, "I loved you. I-I'm sorry for wishing you dead." she sobbed
Dean shook his head, "I forgive you." he said, "I love you, Lenore.." he smiled
Lyanna's face lit up and she gave a smile, "I love you too, Billy.." she whispered as she leaned in and kissed him, as their lips touched two bright wisps flew out of their bodies and into the sky, leaving Lyanna and Dean's bodies to drop to the sand.
They both started coughing and helped each other to their feet, "Are you ok?" Dean said looking at Lyanna who gave him a smile and nodded.
Sam came running out of the cabin with a salt gun in hand as he aimed it at Lyanna, "Get out of-" he shouted
"Sam, I'm me!" Lyanna said holding her hands in front of her, "It's over. They're gone.." she smiled
"What?" Sam asked confusion flashing in his eyes as he looked at Dean, "They're?"
Dean nodded "Uh, yeah, apparently it was both ghosts…" he nodded as he held up the buckle, "Billy's was tied to this."
Lyanna sighed as she figured the whole thing out, "They never got to say goodbye to each other, to apologize for their wrongs... and all the other girls she possessed suffered the same fate cause no one knew about the buckle…" she explained
"But because I was here and happened to touch the buckle, Billy used me to finally finish their story." Dean said with a sad smile, "Let's torch this sucker, anyways..." he added, tossing the buckle to Sam as the three of them walked back to the cabin.
Lyanna sat on the bed as she watched Dean and Sam burn the diary and the buckle. That was one of the most emotional things she'd been through lately, every feeling of sadness she'd ever had about Dean and her parting ways seemed to be magnified by Lenore's grief. Lyanna wrapped her arms around herself and smiled. It was then she knew, she knew it was Dean she was supposed to be with, not Jake. In the end Lenore had helped Lyanna as much as they had helped her. When she got back to Bobby's she was going to call Jake and break it off
"You okay, kid?" Dean asked as he sat beside her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, kissing the top of her head, "You did good today." he said quietly
Lyanna gave Dean a sideways smirk "So did you, we helped with their unfinished business, kind of a cool spin on our usual salt and burn, huh?" she commented
"Definitely a story for the books." Dean agreed as he helped Lyanna to her feet the three of them walked out of the cabin.